Optical coupling lens

ABSTRACT

An optical coupling lens which can reveal its own coefficient of signal attenuation includes a refraction surface, a first total reflection surface, a second total reflection surface, a first aligning member and a second aligning member. The refraction surface, the first total reflection surface and the second total reflection surface are connected end to end in order. The first aligning member and the second aligning member are formed on the refraction surface.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application is a divisional application of a commonly-assigned application entitled “OPTICAL COUPLING LENS AND SYSTEM FOR MEASURING OPTICAL ATTENUATION COEFFICIENT”, filed on Jan. 31, 2013 with application Ser. No. 13/755,081. The disclosure of the above-identified application is incorporated herein by reference.

FIELD

The subject matter herein generally relates to an optical coupling lens and a system for measuring optical attenuation coefficient.

BACKGROUND

An optical communication system usually includes an optical emitter, a first coupling lens aligned with the optical emitter, an optical fiber, a second coupling lens, and an optical receiver aligned with the second coupling lens. When in use, the optical emitter sends out an optical signal. The optical signal is transmitted by the first coupling lens, the optical fiber, and the second coupling lens sequentially, and is received by the optical receiver.

Before using, the predetermined range within which an optical attenuation coefficient of the first coupling lens and the second coupling lens may be needs to be determined. Yet, the optical signal may be lost in the first coupling lens and the second coupling lens, and also in the optical fiber. Thus, it is difficult to measure the optical attenuation coefficient of the first coupling lens and the second coupling lens.

Therefore, measuring an optical attenuation coefficient is problematic.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

Implementations of the present technology will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the attached FIGURE.

The FIGURE is a diagrammatic view of a system for measuring optical attenuation coefficient according to an exemplary embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

It will be appreciated that for simplicity and clarity of illustration, where appropriate, reference numerals have been repeated among the different figures to indicate corresponding or analogous elements. In addition, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the embodiments described herein. However, it will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art that the embodiments described herein can be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, methods, procedures, and components have not been described in detail so as not to obscure the related relevant feature being described. Also, the description is not to be considered as limiting the scope of the embodiments described herein. The drawings are not necessarily to scale and the proportions of certain parts may be exaggerated to better illustrate details and features of the present disclosure.

The term “comprising,” means “including, but not necessarily limited to” and specifically indicates open-ended inclusion or membership in the so-described combination, group, series and the like. The references “a plurality of” and “a number of” mean “at least two.”

The present disclosure is described in relation to an optical fiber connector The optical fiber connector includes a main body, lens portions, and optical fibers. The main body includes a first side surface and a second side surface opposite to the first side surface. The main body defines a cavity between the first and second side surfaces, and a number of accommodating holes extending through the first side surface and communicating with the cavity. The cavity includes an inner surface. The lens portions are positioned on the second side surface, and each lens portion is coaxial with an accommodating hole. A focal plane of each lens portion overlaps the inner surface. The optical fibers are fixed in the accommodating holes. An end of each optical fiber contacts the inner surface such that each optical fiber is optically coaxial with a lens portion. The main body further includes a bottom surface and further defines a through hole in the cavity. The through hole passes through the bottom surface.

The FIGURE shows a system for measuring optical attenuation coefficient. The system includes an optical emitter 10, an optical coupling lens 20, and an optical detector 40.

The optical emitter 10 is configured for converting an electrical signal into an optical signal and sending the optical signal to the optical coupling lens 20. In this embodiment, the optical emitter 10 is a vertical cavity surface emitting laser.

The optical coupling lens 20 is configured for coupling the optical signal emitted by the optical emitter 10 to the optical detector 40. The optical coupling lens 20 includes a refraction surface 21, a first total reflection surface 22, and a second total reflection surface 23.

The refraction surface 21, the first total reflection surface 22, and the second total reflection surface 23 are connected end to end in order. An included angle between the first total reflection surface 22 and the refraction surface 21 is about 45 degrees. An included angle between the second total reflection surface 23 and the refraction surface 21 is about 45 degrees. An included angle between the first total reflection surface 22 and the second total reflection surface 23 is about 90 degrees. A first aligning member 25 and a second aligning member 26 are formed on the refraction surface 21. The first aligning member 25 is spaced from the second aligning member 26. The first aligning member 25 is aligned with the optical emitter 10, and is configured for converting the optical signal emitted by the optical emitter 10 into a parallel light beam. The second aligning member 26 is aligned with the optical detector 40, and is configured for converging the parallel light beam into the optical detector 40.

In this embodiment, the first aligning member 25 and the second aligning member 26 are convex lenses. The first aligning member 25 and the second aligning member 26 are integrally formed with the refraction surface 21. In other embodiments, the first aligning member 25 and the second aligning member 26 can also be Fresnel lenses.

The optical detector 40 is used to measure an intensity of the optical signal. In this embodiment, the optical detector 40 is a photodiode.

When in use, firstly, the optical detector 40 is directly aligned with the optical emitter 10 and obtains an intensity P of the optical signal emitted by the optical emitter 10. Then the optical emitter 10 is aligned with the first aligning member 25, and the optical detector 40 is aligned with the second aligning member 26. The optical emitter 10 sends the optical signal with the intensity P to the optical coupling lens 20. The first aligning member 25 converts the optical signal into the parallel light beam and directs the parallel light beam to the first total reflection surface 22. The first total reflection surface 22 reflects the parallel light beam to the second total reflection surface 23. The second total reflection surface 23 reflects the parallel light beam to the second aligning member 26. The second aligning member 26 converges the parallel light beam into the optical detector 40. The optical detector 40 receives and measures the light beam and obtains an intensity I of the light beam. An optical attenuation coefficient L of the optical coupling lens 20 is calculated according to a formula

$L = {10 \times \log \; {\frac{I}{P}.}}$

The optical coupling lens 20 directly transmits the optical signal emitted by the optical emitter 10 to the optical detector 40, thus any transmission loss in an optical fiber is avoided and the optical attenuation coefficient L of the optical coupling lens 20 can be accurately measured.

The embodiments shown and described above are only examples. Many details are often found in the art such as the other features of an optical coupling lens. Therefore, many such details are neither shown nor described. Even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the present technology have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structure and function of the present disclosure, the disclosure is illustrative only, and changes may be made in the details, including in the matters of shape, size, and arrangement of the parts within the principles of the present disclosure, up to and including the full extent established by the broad general meaning of the terms used in the claims. It will therefore be appreciated that the embodiments described above may be modified within the scope of the claims. 

What is claimed is:
 1. An optical coupling lens comprising: a lens member with: a refraction surface having a first refraction surface side and a second refraction surface side, opposite to, and substantially parallel with, the first refraction surface side; a first total reflection surface having a first side and a second side opposite to, and substantially parallel with, the first side; and a second total reflection surface having a first side and a second side opposite to, and substantially parallel with, the first side; a first aligning member; and a second aligning member; wherein, the first refraction surface side is connected to the first side of the first total reflection surface, the second refraction surface side is connected to the first side of the second total reflection surface and the second side of the first total reflection surface is connected to the second side of the second total reflection surface; and wherein, the first aligning member and the second aligning member are formed on the refraction surface.
 2. The optical coupling lens of claim 1, wherein an included angle between the first total reflection surface and the refraction surface is about 45 degrees, an included angle between the second total reflection surface and the refraction surface is about 45 degrees, and an included angle between the first total reflection surface and the second total reflection surface is about 90 degrees.
 3. The optical coupling lens of claim 1, wherein the first aligning member and the second aligning member are convex lenses.
 4. The optical coupling lens of claim 1, wherein the first aligning member and the second aligning member are Fresnel lenses. 